A Party From The Future
by Trawler
Summary: Jubilee and Wolverine are targeted by a mysterious villain from the future, and hot on her heels is an equally mysterious hero. Can the other X-Men discover their connection to the victims - before it's too late? Will Wolverine ever discover Jubilee's deepest secret?
1. 1 - More Than Grocery Shopping

"Sheesh, why do these groceries have to be so _heavy?_ "Jubilee groaned as she heaved yet another paper sack onto the kitchen's central island. Beside her Rogue put three sacks down, her super-strength making the load easy. Both women were dressed for the hot weather – Jubilee in a yellow vest and cut-off denim shorts, Rogue in a cropped denim skirt and checked shirt tied up under her breasts. Rogue fanned herself and stood where the breeze from the open window could reach her.

"Dat a simple question to answer." Gambit lounged at the table, feet propped up on one corner as he played cards with Wolverine. Both men nursed large beers and small cigars; though they'd opened a window, the room was still wreathed with fragrant cigar smoke. They'd stripped down to their boxers. "You feeding an army, _chere_. And everyone know an army marches on its stomach!"

"Very funny," Jubilee moaned. "But you, Logan and Beast eat more food than the rest of us put together! It's not fair _we_ have to do the grocery shopping!"

"Ah, quit your grousing, kid," Wolverine rumbled. "We all gotta take a turn at the chores. Cleanin' out the bathroom after _you've_ used it ain't no walk in the park."

"Hey!" Jubilee put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "How many times do I gotta tell you, I'm not a kid! I'm twenty-two!" She made a frustrated noise. "And that's rich coming from you, furrball! You got any idea how often you clog up the drains? That much chest hair oughta be illegal!" It was easier not to stare at Logan when she was angry with him. Although when his chest was bare like that… _no, Jube, look away,_ she ordered herself.

"Furrball!" Wolverine threw his head back and laughed. "Been called every name under the sun, but that's a new one on me. Runnin' outta insults, are ya?"

"Aw, sweetheart, don't you worry none about that mean ol' dog," Rogue chuckled, dropping the younger woman a wink as she leaned back against a counter. "We don't need no men to do all the heavy liftin'. Not when we got a big strong gal like me." She flexed the muscles of one arm, putting her other hand on her hip at a jaunty angle. Jubilee made no effort to suppress a giggle.

"Or maybe, _petit,_ " Gambit remarked, taking another pull at his cigar, "we men just like to watch pretty girls stretching and bending over, _non?_ "

"Gambit!" Rogue squeaked, "you are _such_ a pervert!" But Jubilee was quick to notice the delicate shade of pink already spreading across the Southern Belle's face. Not for nothing was Gambit known as a smooth talker.

"Gumbo, you gonna sit here all day an' gawk at the ladies?" Wolverine bit out. "'Cause if y'are, I'm outta here. Got better things to do."

"What better thing is there than to appreciate a beautiful woman?" Gambit remarked, deftly walking a playing card between his fingers.

Wolverine puffed hard on his cigar. "Ya see one nice-lookin' dame, you seen 'em all," he grunted.

Gambit's peculiar eyes flicked unnoticeably between Jubilee and Wolverine, then met Rogue's. He knew she, too, had glanced between the two.

"Well maybe, _mon ami,_ your eyes are not fully open to de pretty girl right under your nose?"

"What's that supposed t'mean?" Wolverine growled, but his quick, guilty look at Jubilee gave him away. The younger woman had her back turned as she put the groceries away, so she didn't notice – but Gambit and Rogue did.

"Sugar, it means that if an ol' dog wastes too much time, someone else might snap up the juicy bone he's been starin' at for so long."

Wolverine's gaze narrowed and he let out a long, slow growl through clenched teeth. It was at that point Jubilee turned around, hands balled angrily on her hips.

"Will you lot stop gasbagging and help me with these groceries? I'm not doing it all by myself!"

"Gambit help you, _petit,_ " the Cajun said with a flourish. "You not tall enough to reach the high shelves."

" _I'll_ do it!" Wolverine flared, pushing his chair back as he stood up. "I'm not havin' anyone accusin' me of not pullin' my weight, Gumbo."

"Great! Thanks, Logan!" Jubilee turned a wide, dazzling smile on the Canadian. If he was going to help her, that meant he'd be working close to her – with no shirt on – and he'd probably brush up against her once or twice…

"You sure you tall enough?" Gambit joked with a wicked smile.

 _Snick._ Wolverine unsheathed one single claw and used it to beckon the Cajun closer. "Come over here an' say that, bub." He took a single menacing stop forward – and stopped abruptly.

"Hey," he said, raising his head to sniff the air, "what's that stink? Smells like… _snake?_ "

"Snake!" Jubilee exclaimed, shrinking in on herself. "Ew! I _hate_ sn–"

A woman appeared out of thin air, right behind Wolverine.

Jubilee had time for one startled look – a short, sleek white bob, split-pupil eyes, white leather jumpsuit – before the stranger lunged and grabbed Wolverine's bare arm and bit him.

Wolverine let out a howl of pain and grabbed at the woman even as Jubilee – for once reacting faster than anyone – hit the stranger with a high-grade paff. She let out a startled hiss of pain and vanished.

Gambit's exploding cards hit the ground a second later while Wolverine's hands closed on thin air.

"No one bites me an'… _ugh_ … gets away with it…!"

Wolverine collapsed.

"What in tarnation just happened?" Rogue yelled, rushing to her fallen friend. Jubilee beat her to it, sinking to her knees beside him. Gambit ran to the intercom, to warn Professor Xavier that they had a security breach. "Who the heck was _she?_ "

"No idea, _chere._ " Gambit was grim. "Best keep our eyes open, make sure she don't come back!"

"Logan," Jubilee gasped, trying to ease him into a sitting position. "We gotta get him to the sick bay! He musta' been poisoned when that crazy snake lady bit him!"

"Jubes, I'm… _fine,_ " Wolverine pushed through gritted teeth.

He looked anything but. He'd been bitten on one hairy forearm; underneath the hearty tan his skin was already swollen and angry. Dark lines radiated from four neat puncture marks – two on the top, two on the bottom. He was trembling and sweaty.

"Budge up, sweetheart, let me pick him up," Rogue commanded. Jubilee scooted to the side as Rogue slipped one arm under his arms and another under his knees. "Flyin's the quickest way to get him to sick bay. Darnit, Logan, have you put on a few pounds?"

"Never could… stand a… smart mouth," Wolverine mumbled, but he didn't resist her. With a groan he passed out.

Rogue heaved and then she was up, hovering several inches above the tiled floor. Jubilee lurched to her feet and hurried in front of her to open the door.

Hands closed on her shoulders. She was yanked back hard enough to pull her off her feet; as she fell she turned her head to see who was behind her. It was the vanishing woman again!

The stranger's lower jaw dropped unnaturally wide. Needle-sharp fangs dripped thin, greenish liquid. She pulled her head back to strike – but was knocked against the wall by a dazzling display of light, a sharp kinetic burst Jubilee herself would have been proud of… but it hadn't come from her.

Jubilee wasn't able to regain her balance in time. She fell on her rear with a hard thud. In a second she was scrambling upright, putting her back to the wall.

"Where the heck did that come from?" she cried, casting one panicked look at the prone snake-woman. "Who's got the same power as me?"

" _Chere,_ look out!" Gambit called. Jubilee looked up just in time to see a second stranger swing nimbly through the open window. She landed in a crouch that turned into a sideways leap as she dodged one of Gambit's exploding cards, a tumble of dark hair billowing behind her.

"Rogue, get Wolverine outta here!" Jubilee barked. "Now!" She thrust both hands out and prepared to blast the second stranger.

" _Wolverine?_ " the dark-haired woman cried. " _Dammit_ , I'm too late!"

" _Rogue!_ " Jubilee urged, taking her eye off the second attacker just long enough to glance across at her friend, "Go!"

But Rogue wasn't moving. She stood stock still, the unconscious Canadian in her arms. Her stare was blank.

"Gambit! Something's wrong with Rogue!"

The Cajun was already moving, but as he approached he slowed and then stopped, seeming to lose all purpose. Half-charged cards dropped from his fingers and exploded at his feet, doing nothing but knock him off balance. What was _wrong_ with him?

"Don't look at her eyes!" the long-haired stranger shouted, "she'll hypnotise you!"

Jubilee's attention shifted back to the snake-woman, and she released the kinetic energy she'd been holding in one hard paff. But Snakes wriggled away in a split second, rolling and rolling until she'd given herself space to stand.

Then she vanished again.

"Where'd she go?" Jubilee wailed.

"Shuttup a minute!" Longhair cocked her head to one side, eyes closed. Then, eyes still closed, she whirled and punched what looked like empty space.

Jubilee heard a pained grunt and Snakes became visible, slumped on the floor. Longhair grabbed her by the short bob and hauled her upright, ignoring her squeals of protest.

But Snakes wasn't done yet. She pushed herself back, knocking her captor over and loosening her grip in the same movement. She lunged at Jubilee.

Jubilee didn't react swiftly enough. The snake-woman grabbed her yet again, hauled her close and bit her bare shoulder.

Agony ripped through her, radiating from her shoulder to her arm, her neck, her chest – she found it difficult to breathe – multi-coloured lights twinkled in her eyes –

The lights were more of Longhair's fireworks as she paffed Snakes. The woman ducked and charged, hitting Longhair hard enough to drive her against the kitchen's central island. Through a haze of pain Jubilee heard a dull _crack_ as Longhair's head bounced off the heavy marble.

Jubilee's vision clouded. Wolverine might have been able to fight the venom for a few minutes with his healing factor, but Jubilee had no such reserves to fall back on. Cold, black unconsciousness rose up to claim her.


	2. 2 - Answers Only Lead To More Questions

Jubilee opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was a broad, rough face she knew almost as well as her own – Wolverine. He was leaning over her, head bowed, one of her hands dwarfed in both of his.

"Logan…" The word was little more than a whisper, but he heard. His head flew up and his grip on her hands tightened.

"Thought you were never gonna wake up, Jubes." His voice was hoarse.

"You know me." She couldn't remember Wolverine ever holding her hand like this. It felt good. "You can't keep me away from a party for long."

"Ah, you're awake." The soft, cultured tone was Beast, and as he stepped silently into her line of vision she noticed he was wearing a white lab coat. "You gave us an awful scare, my dear."

"What happened?" She was in bed, wearing a pale green hospital gown. _So_ not her colour. "I remember putting away the groceries, then a crazy snake-lady showed up… and bit Logan… hey, are you OK?" she asked, turning dark, concerned eyes on the Canadian.

"Takes more'n a little poison to drop the Wolverine," he growled.

"When will you take this seriously?" Cyclops stepped into view at the end of the bed. "You nearly _died_ , Logan!"

Jubilee eased herself into a sitting position, and now she could see the rest of the team gathered – Wolverine was beside her with Rogue and Gambit opposite him. Jean was working some equipment on the other side of the room while Storm had just entered, moving to stand beside Cyclops.

"Ah, can it," Wolverine rumbled. "Nearly's not good enough. I'm more concerned with what Slithers did to Jubes, here."

"I believe that is a question I can answer, my friend." Beast was at the corner of the bed, reviewing a clipboard of notes. He flicked over a page. "Young Jubilation will make a short and speedy recovery thanks to Wolverine. Our venomous interloper is undoubtedly a mutant. From Rogue and Gambit's testimony, I would hazard a guess her powers include hypnotism and poisoning."

"And becoming invisible," Jubilee added, remembering how the woman had disappeared.

"That might not have been true invisibility," Beast cautioned. "It could have been teleportation. Without further data speculation is fruitless."

"Data which we shall have very shortly," a new voice interrupted. Professor Xavier rolled forward in his hi-tech chair; Gambit and Rogue moved aside to allow his approach. "There were two mutants present in that attack. There is no sign of the first, but the second was injured in the struggle. She has been unconscious for some time now – a blow to the head, Hank, is that right?"

"You are correct, Professor," Beast replied. "Rogue reports that during the struggle, the woman hit her head against a cupboard. I can diagnose nothing other than mild concussion."

"She's from the future," Cyclops interjected. "She's wearing a temporal transceiver around her wrist."

"A time traveller!" Jubilee squeaked. "How cool is that? But what does she want with us?"

"That's one question I don't have the answer to. Not yet."

"Well, somebody better have some answers! That poison… it acted so quickly. Would it have been –?" She couldn't quite bring herself to say the word.

"Lethal?" the Professor finished for her. "Yes, I'm afraid so. You were saved by Wolverine's healing ability. We were able to synthesise an anti-venom from his blood."

Jubilee blinked. "Wow, Logan… you saved my life," she breathed. "Thank you."

To her surprise Wolverine looked away, letting her hand drop from his. "Don't thank me, kid." His tone was harsher than usual. "I shoulda stopped that freak from bitin' you in the first place."

"Hey, it's not your fault! You'd just been bitten yourself! How could you have stopped someone who appeared outta thin air?"

"Jubilee is right, Logan." Professor Xavier's voice was firm. "There is no sense recriminating yourself for something you could not have prevented."

"But still…" His jaw clenched.

Now it was Jubilee's turn to take one of his big hands in hers. "Logan, there's no blame. Stop beating yourself up – save that for me in the Danger Room, huh?"

As hoped she startled a laugh from him. " _You,_ beat me? Ain't gonna happen in this lifetime, darlin'."

 _Darling._ He'd called her _darling._ Had anyone else noticed? She let herself chuckle along with everyone else, but she was quick to notice that Rogue and Gambit were sharing a look. She suddenly remembered the odd conversation back in the kitchen before they'd been attacked – something about an old dog with a juicy bone. Could it mean…?

She didn't dare get her hopes up. Logan was over a century old, experienced with women. Why would he be interested in a girl like her?

"Professor!" Jean Grey hurried across to join the throng around the bed. "I've just run some tests… may I have a word with you in private?"

"Of course, Jean."

'In private' meant a mental conversation, Jubilee knew. There was silence in the room for a few moments. She watched the Professor's face. What were the two telepaths talking about?

His eyes widened and his mouth opened a fraction. When he turned back to the others his face was grim. "X-Men, I would like to speak with Jubilee and Wolverine. Alone."

The rest of the team traded worried, startled glances. Wolverine's hand was still cradled in both of Jubilee's. He didn't seem in any hurry to remove it. He watched as the other team members trooped out of the room, leaving them alone with the Professor.

"I have some rather… _shocking_ news to impart," he began without preamble. "As you may already know, it is standard practice to take a DNA sample of any mutant with unknown powers – or unknown allegiance – who passes through the sick bay."

They both nodded.

"Jean began analysing the stranger's DNA, and was surprised to find she shares the DNA of two people present here today."

There was silence for a moment, a silence Wolverine was the first to break. "Bub, you have _got_ to be kiddin' me…"

"Huh? I don't understand." Jubilee was puzzled.

"Kid, it's so simple even you should get it," Wolverine growled. Jubilee flinched as if she'd been burned, dropping his hand as she recoiled from his words. "The dame in the other room is from the future. Her DNA is shared with two other people here. The Prof wanted to speak t' _us._ It ain't hard to work out!"

Realisation washed through Jubilee in a cold wave even as Wolverine pushed himself away from his seat.

"I don't believe it," she breathed, feeling such a writhing mess of emotions she almost felt sick. "That woman… she's our _daughter._ From the future. Yours and mine, Logan."

Wolverine let out a wordless snarl and headed for the door. "I gotta get outta here," he barked. "I gotta _think._ "

"Wolverine!" the Professor exclaimed, reaching a hand to the man. He could have stopped him – could have used his telekinetic powers to hold him in place – but he didn't. He let him go.

"Logan!" Jubilee cried, desperate to stop him, to keep him beside her even though he'd rejected the whole idea of their having a daughter in the future. Rejected _her_ , before he even knew how she felt about him. She slid her legs out of bed and put her feet on the floor, but she was still weak – she couldn't support her own weight, insubstantial as it was. She fell. Now the Professor did act, using his power to ease her back into bed.

"Professor, this is Gambit." A voice crackled over the intercom. "Wolverine taking off like he being chased by something. Want me to follow him?"

Xavier sighed. "Let him go, Gambit. I believe he needs time to think. I believe – I _hope_ – he will return."

Jubilee burst into tears.

The Professor stayed with her, offering wordless support until she cried herself out.

"How long have you been in love with him?" he asked when the young woman was able to speak again.

Jubilee offered him a crooked smile. "Am I that easy to read?"

"Not at all. But I can tell when someone is in pain."

She heaved a watery sigh. "Feels like I've been in love with him forever," she told the Professor. "But in reality… I'd say maybe only around four, five years."

"That long? And you've never acted on your feelings?"

"Me an' Logan have always been close. He's always tried to look out for me, when he can. Then I started looking at him as a man rather than just a friend." She dabbed her eyes on a tissue. "But I know it's only a pipe dream. Logan just made it pretty clear he finds the idea of having a _baby_ with me revolting."

"I believe that was just shock, Jubilee." The Professor's voice was low, soothing. "And the evidence speaks for itself, does it not? She is here. And incontrovertibly a part of you both."

"But we both know the future can be changed! What if Logan never comes back? He doesn't like me that way, I just know he doesn't! So no relationship. No baby. That woman won't have come back from the future…" Her voice was choked off as another sob shook her.

"Time is a slippery thing," the Professor advised her, patting her knee over the blanket. "There can be many changes between _now_ and _then._ Nothing is set in stone. Keep your hope, Jubilee."

Half an hour later Jean summoned the remaining X-Men to another part of the sick bay. Rogue helped Jubilee dress and walked beside her. She was weak, hardly able to move her arms and legs, but was determined not to stay in bed another moment longer. Not when Wolverine was still out there. First chance she got, she would slip away and try to find him. She wasn't a skilled tracker – didn't have a good sense of smell, keen eyesight, or even sharp hearing – but she knew Logan. She knew the wild places he went when he wanted to think.

"Stop worrying, sweetheart," Rogue murmured as they entered the high-security section of the sick bay. "That old dog'll be back before ya know it."

"You don't know," Jubilee said through numb lips, "you don't know what Jean found out about us. He won't be back." A child meant commitment. A commitment to _her_. He'd never make that move.

"Oh, sugar, we know." She stopped and put her hand on Jubilee's shoulder. "Gambit never did shake that habit of listenin' at doors. We know you're this gal's Mamma, and Wolverine's her Daddy."

"But how can it happen now?" Jubilee wailed. "Logan won't come back! I know he won't!"

Rogue shook her head. "He'll be back when he's cooled his britches. You know what he's like – the guy's got a habit of actin' before he thinks."

The door swished open and admitted them both. Jubilee felt her cheeks flame. They all knew her secret! How was she supposed to act around them?

The answer came quickly – act as normal. Their expressions ranged from mild concern to worry but nothing else; there was no outrage, no incredulity, not even any surprise. Though Cyclops didn't look too thrilled. Had _everyone_ guessed she was sweet on Logan?

Had _Logan_ guessed…?

The X-Men were gathered around another bed. At her approach they parted to reveal the mysterious woman from the future.

She was sitting up on the blanket, propped against a stack of cushions. Jubilee took a moment to study her before she said anything.

She seemed to be in her early twenties, and she guessed they were a similar height. But where Jubilee bordered on the skinny, this woman was all curves and lean muscle. She looked to be in the peak of physical fitness.

Her hair was glossy black and, Jubilee had to admit, worn in a pretty cool style – long in the back with a tousled mullet fringe and shaved sides. She'd never seen anyone with hair like that. Her skin had the merest hint of brown, her piercing blue eyes tilted just enough to be exotic. She wore a pale yellow bandana around her forehead.

The bandana matched her vest, cropped just above her belly button. Close-fitting leggings clung to her legs. She wore tough-looking fingerless black gloves.

A leather jacket hung from the back of the chair beside her. Black ballet pumps had been placed neatly underneath the chair.

The woman lifted her nose and sniffed. "They got all the venom out. You should be back to normal in a day or two if you take it easy."

"You can _smell_ that?" Jubilee asked, astonished.

"I can smell what kind of gel you put in your hair. I can smell the last gum you chewed – strawberry. And I can smell that at least one of you ladies is menstruating."

Four expressions wrinkled as one.

"Eww, that's gross!" Jubilee exclaimed.

The Professor eased his chair forward. The others parted to give him room.

"My name is Professor Charles Xavier," he began. "I can see from your temporal transceiver that you are a visitor from the future. Tell us who you are and the reason for your visit."

"We not have much luck wit' people from da future," Gambit rumbled. "Dey have a nasty habit of tryin' to get us hurt or killed."

"I'm trying to _stop_ people getting hurt or killed," the young woman sighed, "but I was too late. Call me Vixen."

"Vixen." Jubilee rolled the name around on her tongue. She liked it. "Do you know who we are?"

Vixen smiled. "Oh, yes. The legendary X-Men. You're all here – but where's Wolverine?"

Jubilee felt a hard lump in her throat. "He's – not here right now."

Vixen rolled her eyes. "He took off again, right? _Such_ a drama queen. Don't worry, he'll be back."

"How do you know that?"

Vixen hesitated then fell silent.

The Professor took over the conversation. "Vixen, we've tested your DNA. We know you're the daughter of Jubilee and Wolverine, hard though that may for some of us to get our heads around." His gaze lingered on Cyclops for just a second. "Why have you come back from the future? And who was that venomous mutant?"

Vixen's smile was bleak. "She's the reason I came back," she explained. "In my time, we're fighting the ascension of a new big bad, a mutant calling himself the Shining Man. You don't wanna know what he can do," she swallowed hard, "but so far we've managed to throw a spanner in the works, every time."

"We?"

"Secret team of mutants working for the Government. We call ourselves Shadow Strike. Sort of like the X-Men, but with official permission to work. And a budget."

"Sheesh," Jubilee interrupted, "Working for the Government? How did future-Wolverine react when he heard that?" She was thinking about the problems he'd had with Alpha Flight, the Canadian Governmental force.

Vixen grinned. "How'd you think?"

The Professor coughed, calling them both to order. He gave Vixen a pointed look.

"My official position within Shadow Strike is that of a spy," she continued. "It's my job to find out what the Shining Man's up to, and pass on the information."

"D'you fight?" Jubilee interrupted again, eager.

"When I have to. I don't have an adamantium skeleton but what I _do_ have is speed, strength, and mutant healing powers. As the boxer Muhammed Ali once quoted, I can float like a butterfly and sting like a bee."

"That is so cool!"

"So you spy on this Shining Man," the Professor took charge again, "and together with Shadow Strike foil his plans. Where does our venomous attacker come into the equation?"

Vixen's face fell. "That's White Mamba, a real nasty piece of work. She's part of the Shining Man's Enforcement Team. Her bite's lethal to most folks and she can hypnotise people, get them to perform simple tasks."

This time it was Beast who interrupted. "What is her other power? Is it teleportation or…?"

"Invisibility," Vixen supplied. "She's caused us all kindsa problems. But me and a few others, we've got a natural advantage against her – we can smell her, hear her, when she's invisible. And she drops just like most people if you whack her hard enough." The satisfaction in her voice told them all that punching White Mamba was something she enjoyed doing.

"Why did she attack Wolverine and Jubilee?"

"Cause a' me. I ticked off the Shining Man once too often. He wants to kill me – wants to kill all of Shadow Strike – but we've always stayed one step ahead of him. Till now."

"He wants to kill _you_ , so he sends this White Mamba back in time to kill Logan and me?" Jubilee asked.

"Mostly to kill _you_ ," Vixen corrected. "Wolverine's pretty much immune to her poison, though it'll make him wish he was dead for a few hours. You don't have any natural healing powers. You're an easy target."

Things fell into place in Jubilee's mind. "If she kills _me_ … then you're never born…?"

"And I never bother the Shining Man. I gotta stop her. She'll just keep coming."

"I'll help you," Jubilee vowed, "however I can!"

"Jubilee, you're in no condition to fight." Cyclops's arms were crossed, his expression forbidding. "But the rest of us are. We'll stop White Mamba."

Jubilee's expression was sad. "It's not me I'm worried about. What happens if she goes after Logan? He's out there, by himself…"

The Professor looked at Vixen. "Will she go after him?"

"If she finds him and he's alone… sure. She can't kill him but she can put him out of action for another few hours. Maybe longer."

"Then we must find him and convince him to come home. X-Men, you will split into two teams – Cyclops, you will lead the first team with Rogue and Jean. We will tighten security and you will remain here, to guard Jubilee. Storm, I would like you to lead the second team with Gambit and Beast. Find Wolverine. Tell him… tell him Jubilee is in danger."


	3. 3 - Daddy Come Home

"So what's the plan, _chere?_ " Gambit asked Storm. They were approaching the first of the wild places they thought Wolverine might have taken off to. The acres and acres of forest were a dark and foreboding hunting ground. "If we run into White Mamba, is dis a kill or capture mission?"

"I will not kill another mutant if I can avoid doing so," Storm replied. "If we run into this White Mamba we will do our best to incapacitate her. That is why Beast is part of this team – if she becomes invisible we will need his keen sense of smell and hearing to bring her down."

The Cajun glowered. "If we run into her, Gambit feel much happier taking her outta the picture – permanently." He fingered a kinetically charged card. "Can't we just smash her temporal transceiver, send her back where she came from?"

"A tempting idea, but no. If we send her back she is free to return at any time in her future, and we may not be ready for her. No, Gambit, we must defeat this mutant today."

"My dear," Beast interjected as he swung through the trees above them, "as there is little daylight left, I believe quoting _today_ as a target is a little optimistic."

They emerged into a rocky clearing. Wolverine, already wearing his full outfit, was crouched on an outcrop staring moodily into the distance, turned slightly away from them.

He lifted his head and sniffed the air.

"Beast," he rumbled, "when was the last time you took a bath, bub? You stink."

"As charming as ever, Logan."

"Wolverine, you must return to the mansion at once," Storm took over.

Wolverine leapt from the outcrop – a jump of at least ten or twelve feet – and landed neatly on his feet. He stalked toward them.

"Lady, I don't take orders well," he growled. "And I _don't_ like people thinkin' they can plan my life out for me. Had more'n enough of that already. I ain't goin' back."

Storm frowned and Gambit laid a hand on her arm. "You let Gambit take care of dis," he told her. He crossed the clearing and came to stand beside Wolverine.

"Logan, take a walk wit' your ol' pal Remy, eh?" He held both hands out in a deliberately non-threatening gesture.

"What's there t'talk about? I ain't goin' back. I ain't bein' _forced_ to do nothin'!"

"Remy just wanna talk, ok?"

At Gambit's glance, Storm and Beast moved away, out of earshot.

"All right, Gumbo, ya got five minutes."

"Remy gonna lay all his cards on da table," Gambit began. "First, I know little Jubilee been in love wit' you for a long time. Dat girl, she sure know her own mind, she knows what she wants. And you – you love her back."

He didn't stop, even when Wolverine let out a low, warning growl.

"All the X-Men, we know you love her. We got eyes, Logan, we see how you look at the _chere_." He paused. "But we not talk 'bout it, cause affairs of the heart are somet'ing you gotta work out wit' the one you love."

"Right. Like you're workin' it out with Rogue?"

"We workin' t'ings out in our own way." His strange, black-red gaze never left Wolverine's. "De _petite,_ she de only one _not_ know how you feel 'bout her."

"They say ignorance is bliss."

"Logan… I know the real reason you not wanna come back wit' us."

"Sure ya do." Wolverine's voice was barely above a snarl.

"It got nothin' to do with people controlling your life." Gambit folded his arms across his chest. "You of all people know dat time, she a shady lady. She change when you look at her. You do somethin' and time change one way. You do sometin' else, and time change another way. Ain't no way to predict it, no way to control it."

"What's your point, Gumbo?"

"You using' it to hide the real reason you don't wanna come back. You t'ink you not good enough for Jubilee, _non?_ "

Wolverine gritted his teeth and took a menacing step toward the Cajun. His adamantium claws slid out with a tiny, metallic _snick._

"Bub… you got a lotta balls comin' over here and sayin' that t'me," he growled.

Gambit didn't back away. "But it is true, _n'est pas_? You t'ink Jubilee do much better for herself than a mean ol' dog with control issues?"

"You _tryin'_ t'get your gizzard ripped out?"

"Remy only trying to make you admit how you feel for the _chere_. She love you, Wolverine, and she plenty worried about you."

Wolverine's body was tense for another long, silent moment… and then he sagged. All the angry energy left him.

"She ain't a kid no more," he acknowledged. He didn't look at Gambit but instead focussed his gaze on the rocks around them. "I used to hate it when she went out on dates. None of those grubby little boys was ever good enough for her. I used t'follow them when they took her out – just makin' sure she was OK, y'get me? Now I can't get her outta my head." He sighed. "An' I don't want to."

"Oh, Logan," Gambit breathed, shaking his head, "you got it bad. You come back with us, tell her how you feel."

"I can never tell her how I feel!" Wolverine flared, finally looking up at Gambit. There was a mixture of violence and repressed self-loathing on his face. "It's not safe for Jubilee to get close t'me. I'm… _I'm_ not safe, don't you get it?"

"You think you gonna hurt da _petite?_ "

"One way or another. I got a bad track record with the ladies. An' a bad temper."

"Gambit think she hurtin' now, when you not there. You go back – you keep her safe – she stop hurtin'."

"Speakin' of _safe,_ " Wolverine rumbled, "what happened to that freaky snake lady? You find out anythin' more 'bout her?"

Gambit gave him a quick run-down of the information Vixen had given them. He watched the volatile man's face closely as he spoke, gauging his reaction to one piece of information in particular – the news that White Mamba would try to kill Jubilee again.

The Canadian's eyes narrowed as a low rumble began deep in his chest. His fists clenched. Still Gambit did not move.

"Bub… why didn't ya tell me that _first?_ " Then his expression twisted in realisation. "Oh, you think you're so clever," he snarled. "Make dumb ol' Logan admit how he feels 'bout Jubilee, then tell him she's in danger."

"Don't know what you mean, _mon ami._ " Gambit kept his tone neutral but he knew Wolverine wasn't buying it. "Besides, _you_ in danger too. That's why we come out here to find you." He gestured behind him at Beast and Storm. "Snake lady gonna take another shot at you. Jean, Rogue an' Cyclops lookin' after Jubilee."

Wolverine screwed his eyes shut before bowing his head, fists clenching and unclenching. The muscles in his arms bulged, and Gambit knew his friend was making a serious effort to control his temper.

"I gotta go back," he muttered eventually. "I gotta make sure Jubes is OK. She's still not fully recovered from that freak's poison. If she gets another bite… I'm not sure even _my_ blood can save her."

"Remy know you make the right choice." Gambit grinned then dropped Wolverine a wink. "'Sides… if you go back and beat seven kinds of hell outta that White Mamba woman, Jubilee say you her hero, no?"

"I ain't nobody's hero!"

Gambit chuckled. "She already t'ink you are."


	4. 4 - Snake Strike

They congregated in the safest place in the mansion – the War Room. Jubilee didn't want to be here. Though the room was large it felt close and stuffy; she wanted fresh air, a breeze. Sunshine. She wanted the outdoors.

She wanted Wolverine.

She was dressed in her usual combat gear – pink T-shirt and blue denim shorts, minus the long yellow coat and gloves – though she hoped she wouldn't see any combat. She couldn't even stand for long without assistance. Her arms and legs were rubbery and her stomach roiled uncertainly. A pounding headache had settled behind her forehead. She felt she could quite happily sleep for the next week – had, in fact, been urged by the Professor to sleep – but she knew she couldn't rest until Wolverine came back.

She prayed she wouldn't have a long wait.

"Sweetheart, why don't you let me or Cyc walk you back to the sick bay?" Rogue asked as she handed the younger woman a mug of steaming coffee. "You look all beat. You know you ain't fully recovered yet."

Jubilee shook her head. "Nuh uh. I wanna talk to Vixen."

They both turned to look at the time traveller. Now they all knew who she was, the resemblance to her parents was obvious – she shared Wolverine's striking blue eyes and her mother's soft features. Occasionally they caught glimpses of a harder woman underneath, a woman who'd spent her life fighting.

They all knew what that looked like. They saw it in their own faces everyday.

Vixen was standing beside Jean Grey, who was monitoring the mansion's security systems.

"….you said you'd had break-ins before?" Vixen was saying.

"A few," Jean admitted. "But there's a limit to how much security we can put in place without arousing suspicion. This is a school, not a fortress."

"So, uh… Vixen!" Jubilee interrupted, injecting more energy than she felt. "That's, like, a codename, right?" She slumped into the seat beside Jean.

"That's right," Vixen agreed. "Each member of Shadow Strike is allowed to choose their own codename when they join. A vixen – a female fox or wolf – is a wily creature; she's smart, strong and independent. She fights to protect what she loves."

Jubilee blushed. "Uh, so…. what's your real name? When were you born?"

Vixen chuckled. "Oh, boy, you know I can't tell you that. Spoilers. You weren't even supposed to know who I was – I had a cover story all prepared. Wasn't expecting White Mamba to knock me out like that. The witch got lucky."

"Well alright," Jubilee rushed to say, "so I'm fishing. But come on! You gotta tell me something more about yourself! It's not everyday you get to meet your own daughter – from the future!"

Vixen's face became serious. "There's a reason for that. Time travel is risky. All kinds of things could go wrong. If the Shining Man hadn't threatened you and Pa – well – I'd never have come back."

Pa. She'd called Wolverine Pa. That meant that, in the future, he'd stayed around for long enough to see her born… long enough for her to learn to speak and pick a name for him. A warm glow spread through her – then vanished.

This rosy future she was painting in her head might never come to be. Wolverine was gone. He couldn't handle knowing they would have a relationship in the future; couldn't handle knowing they'd have a child.

But if that future never came to be… wouldn't Vixen have vanished by now? Wouldn't some nasty-looking vortex have sprung up out of nowhere and swept her away? Ugh, time travel made her head hurt!

"There is one thing I know you can tell me," Jubilee said after a moment. "Well, two things. You're on the side of good, right? Cause I've heard all kinds of things about Government forces."

Vixen sniffed. "Oh, please. You should see the outfits the bad guys wear. Does this look like the outfit of someone playing for the dark side?" she joked, gesturing to her clothes.

Jubilee had already spent some time admiring the woman's outfit. It was simple, practical and elegant.

"Seriously, though, Shadow Strike is on the good side," Vixen continued. "We do what you X-Men do, only we get paid for it. Now what was your other question?"

Jubilee couldn't help herself. A huge grin spread across her face. "You kick ass, right? I mean, like, totally. You get right into combat situations?"

Vixen's answering grin was an exact match of Jubilee's. "Like I said, I'm a spy… but even spies need to kick some butt. And when I do, it stays kicked."

"All _right!_ " Jubilee enthused. "That is so cool!"

An alarm went off, making them all jump.

"Jean, what is it?" Professor Xavier asked.

"A fire alarm on one of the upper floors," Jean replied. "Hmm, that's odd. All the cameras are off-line in that part of the mansion, so I can't tell if it's a real fire – or a trap."

Cyclops came to stand behind Jean, one hand on her shoulder. "If the cameras are off-line we have to believe it's a trap." His voice was grim. "In which case, White Mamba is already waiting for us in the building. We have to stop her."

"You think she's here?" Jubilee asked, suddenly frightened. She couldn't remember ever having felt as powerless as this; exhausted, barely able to stand unaided, unsure whether she could even raise fireworks if she had to. She _hoped_ she wouldn't have to.

"Sugar, there's only one way to find out for sure." Rogue's expressive brown eyes were bright – it was obvious she was keen to go and have a look. "I got me a little score to settle with that snake-lady. No one gets away with hynotisin' me."

Cyclops nodded. "All right. I'll go with you. Vixen, Jean – Professor – keep an eye on our Jubilee."

Cyclops and Rogue wasted no time in hurrying to the upper story where Jean had detected a fire. They couldn't smell any smoke, but that wasn't indicative – because the cameras were down they didn't have a firm fix on the fire's location.

"Be on your guard," Cyclops murmured as they approached an intersection. "White Mamba can become invisible. She could come out of anywhere."

"Don't you worry your head about it, pretty boy," Rogue replied. "I got it covered. If that sneaky gal shows up – hey! There she is!"

She pointed down a corridor. White Mamba stood at the far end, hands on her hips, her laugh a soft, sibilant hiss.

"I'll get her!" Kicking with both feet Rogue took off like a rocket, flying at the woman with fists clenched.

"Rogue! No! Come back!" Cyclops yelled. Gritting his teeth with frustration he adjusted his visor and tried to blast Mamba with his optic ray. She vanished a split second before impact and the beam passed harmlessly through where she'd been – and blasted a hole in the wall.

"Hey, watch it, Cyclops!" Rogue called back over her shoulder. "You scared her away and nearly got me instead!"

"Come back here!" he ordered. "We stay together, Rogue! There's no telling where this woman's got to!"

"Cyc! Look out!"

Her warning came a second too late. Invisible, Mamba had run past Rogue in the corridor and materialised behind Cyclops. With a wicked grin that revealed venom-dripping fangs, she dealt him a punishing blow across the back of the head. Cyclops dropped like a stone.

Rogue uttered a harsh sound of rage and shot back to the intruder. Mamba didn't flinch.

"Sssubmit to me," she hissed.

Rogue stopped abruptly in mid-air, still ten feet from the woman. Ugh, why hadn't she remembered not to make eye contact?

"Gosh darnit, not again!" she yelled, tossing her head in an effort to break Mamba's hypnotic spell.

Then her mind became blank.

"What's taking them so long?" Jubilee worried. The coffee Rogue had brought her was long since gone – she'd found the caffeine stimulant provided just the boost she needed. Now, at least, she had the energy to pace up and down.

"The mansion is a big place," Professor Xavier cautioned. "It will take Cyclops and Rogue time to search the upper levels."

"You should rest." Vixen's voice was blunt as she regarded her future mother. "Coffee is not a replacement for twenty-four hours worth of sleep."

"How can I possibly rest when all this is going on?" Jubilee threw her hands up, then regarded Vixen with a shrewd look. "Would _you_ rest if you were in my shoes?"

Vixen hesitated just long enough. "All right. Point made. I'll get you some more coffee when the others get back."

At that moment the door slid open and Rogue walked through. Jubilee looked at her expectantly, waiting for an update – then realised something wasn't quite right.

"Professor, she's been hypnotised!" Jean called, one hand on her forehead. The blue glow of her telepathic energy surrounded her fingers. "She's being controlled! We have to stop her!"

Thanks to the warning, Jubilee could now see what was wrong. Rogue's movement was stiff, not at all like the smooth, sashaying walk she normally employed.

Vixen was the first to react. She ran at Rogue. The hypnotised woman lifted a hand to swat her away, but Vixen was fast – she feinted out of the way and ended up behind Rogue. She wrapped both hands around her windpipe and began to choke the breath out of her.

"Sorry," she said, "but there's only so many ways you can take out a woman with super strength!"

Struggling, Rogue choked and turned red. With a gurgle she managed to break Vixen's stranglehold and heaved her off her feet. Yelling, she threw the time traveller over her head and clear across the room. Vixen hit the far wall and slumped to the floor, unmoving.

"No, no, no…" Jubilee moaned, backing away.

"Jubilee, stay back!" Jean warned, jumping to her feet. "I will attempt to break White Mamba's hypnotism!" She touched her forehead once more. Bright blue energy crackled out of her, sizzling through the air as it enveloped the Southern Belle.

Rogue screamed, clutching her head with both hands.

"It's working!" Jean exclaimed. Then, all of a sudden, she collapsed. The mental bond was broken. Rogue slumped.

"Mamba must be here!" the Professor exclaimed, tense. "I must stop Rogue… I must take up where Jean left off! Jubilee, get behind me!"

The young woman hastened to obey, looking fearfully over her shoulder. She expected Mamba to pop up at any second. She clutched the edge of the Professor's chair.

Rogue seemed to recover from her temporary fugue. She shook her head and her gaze locked on the Professor. Jubilee knew at once that Rogue still wasn't herself.

The Professor wasted no time. Touching one hand to his forehead he sent his own beam of telepathic energy at Rogue, enveloping her in a gentle blue glow. As before she screamed and writhed, floating several inches off the floor in her effort to get away.

This time Jubilee was close enough to hear the solid, meaty _thunk_ as the Professor was struck over the head. He was unconscious. Rogue collapsed, unmoving. Was she out cold too, Jubilee wondered as she stumbled away from the chair, or was she dead? Was the Professor dead? Were they all dead?

"You can't essscape from me." The sibilant hiss came from everywhere and nowhere, but that didn't matter – Jubilee knew Mamba was here!

"Show yourself!" she cried, sounding braver than she felt. "If you're gonna kill me, at least have the decency to show your face first!"

"Very well…" A patch of air in front of the Professor shimmered, and White Mamba stepped into view. "It's just you and me now, Jubilation Lee," she chuckled. "And I know how very, very weak you are…"

"Nobody calls me Jubilation," she growled. She stepped up and prepared to meet her fate.


	5. 5 - Wolverine Joins The Party

"I cannot raise anyone at the mansion." Storm's smooth face was creased with worry. "No one is responding!"

They sat in Wolverine's Jeep. The scenery blurred past; he was driving the vehicle at an unsafe speed, but he controlled it with ease. Storm's pure white hair streamed out behind her.

"Where's Jubilee?" he growled. "Where'd you leave her?"

"She was in the War Room with everyone else. I would have thought the Professor, Jean, Cyclops, Rogue and Vixen should have been enough to keep her safe!"

"Then why's nobody _answerin?_ "

"We will split up," Storm ordered as Wolverine brought the Jeep to a screeching halt outside the front of the mansion. "Beast, go with Gambit. He will require your nose if you are to locate White Mamba. Search the building. Wolverine, you will come with me to the War Room."

"Darn right I will." He was the first one out of the vehicle, and he was running when he hit the ground. He took off without a backwards glance. Storm flew after him.

"Well, friend," Beast remarked as he leapt dextrously over the side, "it looks like it's just you and me."

"Gambit not worried for himself," the thief rumbled, pulling a pack of cards out of an inner pocket.

"I know you worry for Rogue. Calm yourself, my Cajun companion – we will find her."

Storm and Wolverine reached the War Room at the same time, to find a scene of total confusion. Rogue lay slumped on the floor; Vixen was an unmoving body against one wall, Jean was out cold by the surveillance equipment and Professor Xavier lolled in his chair.

The only two left standing where Jubilee – a pale, sweating Jubilee who could barely stand – and White Mamba.

Wolverine didn't think. He reacted. His girl was in danger and he was going to protect her, whatever it took. He charged the snake-eyed mutant, claws extending as he ran. A deep howl of rage was wrenched from his throat. He drew an arm back as he ran, ready to slash Mamba out of existence –

And then Rogue hit him like a cannonball.

The impact of the flying woman knocked him clear across the room. He felt several ribs smash under the force of the blow and yowled with pain.

Dazed, Wolverine landed heavily on his back. Only a quick scuttling roll saved him from Rogue's super-powered punch; he slashed at her but pulled the attack at the last moment.

"Snap out of it, Rogue!" he ground out. His ribs were making a peculiar crackling, crunching sound he was familiar with – his mutant healing powers were making them knit back together. It hurt like blazes. "I don't wanna hurt ya!"

But Rogue's only reply was to grab him by the scruff of the neck and haul him up. Her eyes were flat, blank, completely without expression.

"It ain't right t'hit a lady," Wolverine barked, drawing his fist back and sheathing his claws at the same time, "but desperate times call for desperate measures!" He punched Rogue across the jaw as hard as he could.

She let out a startled sound of pain and stumbled back, dropping him. His attention whipped back to Mamba. She was still advancing on Jubilee.

"Storm!" he yelled. "Take care of Rogue! I gotta stop this crazy snake lady!" He bounded across the room.

Storm took over in true X-Men style. Rising several feet into the air, she threw her arms up and cried, "I call upon the fierce north wind! Ice and snow, do my bidding, for I am your Mistress!"

An unnaturally cold wind sprang up from nowhere, freezing within seconds. Storm stretched both hands to Rogue and the freezing wind leapt from her fingertips. Fat white snowflakes whirled in the vortex she had created.

The vortex engulfed Rogue, rapidly encasing her in ice. It solidified around her and froze her from the feet upward; it crept up her legs, over her hips, chest and shoulders, finally covering her head. Storm sank back to the floor.

"Quickly, Wolverine!" she called. "This ice will not hold Rogue for long!"

"I hear ya, sister," he snarled. "Jubes, stay behind me!"

"You came back!" she said, beaming at him. For a second her joy at seeing him overrode the naked fear in her eyes, and he felt something shift inside him.

"Seems ya can't keep _me_ away from the party either, darlin'." He sank into a defensive crouch, claws fully extended, and whirled to attack Mamba.

She dropped him a wink and disappeared.

"Oh, this is getting' _real_ old," he growled. "Where'd ya go _now?_ "

"Can you smell her?" Jubilee asked, anxious.

"I can smell she's still in the room." He sounded put out. "Guess that Vixen gal's nose is better'n her old man's. Shame she had to drop out of the party early."

He still wasn't sure how he felt about Vixen's presence, but he couldn't help being proud that he'd help to create – or would help to create – a mutant with such highly developed senses. And create her the good old-fashioned way, between a man and a woman. Not out of a lab.

Without warning the ice surrounding Rogue smashed, sending lethal shards all over the room. Everyone ducked. Rogue screamed, a terrible, pained sound, and shot towards Wolverine like a bullet.

He darted out of her way. She was expecting the move and countered by moving with him. She grabbed him in a huge bear hug. She began to crush the life out of him as he struggled to break her hold.

"I call upon the wind!" Storm intoned, hands outstretched once more. A biting wind sprung up once more and enveloped Wolverine and Rogue; with deft control Storm was able to separate the two. She threw Rogue across the room and dropped Wolverine lightly in front of Jubilee.

"Logan!" she cried, falling to her knees by his side. He stirred sluggishly.

"I'm alright... Jubes… I'll be fine," he coughed, but there was blood on his lips. He wasn't lying – not exactly – but it would be awhile before he was combat ready again. Like hours. Maybe days. He felt broken inside.

Rogue was still screaming and now she was upright again. She streaked toward Storm. The dark-skinned woman took their fight to the air and Rogue followed.

"You are finissshed, dog-man," White Mamba hissed. She had watched the fighting with cold amusement, keeping out of the way. "I will kill your woman firsssst, make you watch. Then I will kill _you_. My masssster will be sssso pleasssed."

"No…!" Wolverine struggled to get up but agony ripped through his torso. He was no stranger to pain; he gritted his teeth and tried again but it was too much – he clutched an arm around himself, barely able to lift his head off the floor. "Jubes… run…"

"I'm not leaving. I'm tired of hiding." There was something in her voice he'd never heard before – cold, grim determination. "I'm not gonna let her hurt you, Logan."

"Jubi… lee… you can't… stop her," he coughed, reaching a bloodied hand to her. She was so pale, but her eyes flashed with fire. The snake-woman's sibilant laughter rang in his ears.

On the other side of the room, he noticed Vixen begin to stir.

Jubilee pulled down her pink-tinted sunglasses. "I _won't_ let her hurt you," she ground out, "even if it kills me!"

" _No…!_ "

Two things happened at once, almost so quickly Wolverine had trouble following them: -

White Mamba lunged, mouth gaping wide, vicious fangs dripping venom, talon-like hands outstretched.

Jubilee paffed her with the strongest, most powerful fireworks display he'd ever seen. He closed his eyes reflexively against the dazzling glare.

When he opened them again he thought he'd gone blind. Then he realised there was nothing wrong with his eyes. The room had been plunged into darkness.

In the past a side effect of Jubilee's fireworks had been a tendency to short out anything electrical around her. She hadn't done that for years – her self-control had become more than sufficient to control her powers – but releasing such a huge display of pyrotechnics negated that.

Where was she? She hadn't been strong enough for that paff, not while she was still recovering from Mamba's bite. Come to think of it – where _was_ the crazy snake-lady? Had Jubilee's attack dropped her? Where was Rogue, Storm? Where were the others?

"Jube?" he groaned into the darkness. "You still alive, darlin'? Come on, say somethin'!"

Ominous silence greeted his demand. He tried to crawl to where he'd last seen Jubilee. His questing hand found a boot – a knee – denim shorts. She was here, she was still warm… still alive.

"Your effortssss are wassssted, dog-man." The sibilance was close – only a few feet away – and nearly as venomous as Mamba's bite. "A disssplay like that from Jubilation'ssss daughter might have stopped me, but ssshe isss out of the picture!"

"Don't count your chickens before they've hatched!"

The voice rang out in the darkness. Vixen! It was Vixen! He remembered he'd caught a glimpse of her moving before Jubilee's attack. Obviously being thrown across the room hadn't stopped her for long.

Wolverine struggled to follow what happened next. Every bone and muscle in his body protesting, he managed to haul himself into a defensive crouch over Jubilee, claws outstretched and teeth barred in a silent, feral snarl. He felt movement around him, the flow of air currents past his face. Smelt the heavy stink of snake mixed with the lighter scent of sweat he identified as Vixen. He heard noises – the meaty smack of flesh against flesh, the rough sound of ragged breathing, grunts of effort and exclamations of pain.

They were _fighting?_ In the _dark?_

Wolverine was woozy. He struggled to maintain his tenebrous grip on consciousness, but this was one battle he knew he would lose.

He crawled a foot or two away, just enough to make sure he wouldn't crush Jubilee when he passed out.

Blackness rose up to claim him. He fought it all the way.


	6. 6 - Aftermath

When Jubilee swam back to consciousness for the second time that day she was on top of the blanket, rather than underneath. That was an improvement. It meant she hadn't been hurt so badly she required protracted medical treatment.

She couldn't remember ever having felt so tired, though. Her whole body ached. Stifling a yawn with one hand she pushed herself into a sitting position with the other.

This time several of the beds were occupied. Wolverine lay in the one nearest to hers. Stripped down to a pair of dark blue shorts, she could see his broad, hairy chest and shoulders were bandaged. He'd been hurt! Memories swam back into her head. He'd been hurt defending _her._

And he was watching her with bright, worried eyes.

"Back to join the party again, Jube?" he rumbled, then winced. He put a hand over his ribs.

"Party's gotta end some time," she murmured, looking further around the room. Storm was sleeping in another bed. Cyclops was sitting in a chair, head in his hands while Jean attended to him. She had a bandage around her forehead. Professor Xavier was beside them. He, too, was bandaged. "And this sure was some party."

The door slid open and the others trooped in – Gambit, Beast, Vixen, and a very sheepish looking Rogue.

"Cyc… hey, I'm sorry I didn't listen when you told me not to go harin' off," Rogue began, stopping beside Cyclops and Jean. "You got hurt 'cause of me."

Cyclops winced despite Jean's gentle ministrations. "Next time, just listen to orders, OK?"

"I will, sugar, don't worry!"

Gambit slid his arm around her waist. "Remy understands why you flew after dat nasty snake-woman," he told her, pulling her closer. "She hypnotise you. You not gonna let her get away with that, _chere_."

"But it doesn't excuse the fact that I didn't listen to Cyclops," she sighed. "And that witch hypnotised me _again_. I caused all kindsa problems."

She looked at Storm but glanced away, tucking her hair behind her ears. She slipped out of Gambit's hold and crossed to her friend's side, then sat on the edge of the bed. Gambit put a supportive hand on Rogue's shoulder.

Beast crossed over to speak with the Professor, while Vixen pulled a chair up between Jubilee and Wolverine's beds.

"How're you two doing?" she asked, looking anxiously from one to the other.

"I'll live," Wolverine grunted. "I'll take a little while to heal, but I'll be OK. Remind me never to let Rogue gimme a hug again."

Vixen's smile was wan. "I'll bear that in mind. Jubilee… how you feeling?"

"Actually, not too bad," she replied, running a hand through her hair. "I feel like I could sleep for a week, though. I'm stiff. But other than that, fine."

Wolverine snorted. "No change there then. You _always_ feel like you could sleep for a week."

"What happened to Mamba?"

"I kicked her scrawny ass," Vixen replied, slapping her fist into her open palm with relish. "She's cooling her heels in a locked room. The Prof. had a couple of those suppressing collars stashed away – you know, the ones that suppress mutant power?" Jubilee nodded – she knew only too well about those horrible things. "We put one of those on her. She's not going anywhere. I'll take her back to the future with me."

"You're going back already?" Jubilee asked, unable to hide her dismay.

"I gotta go." Vixen's voice was sad. "I could cause too many problems, staying in the past."

"But I've still got so many questions to ask!"

Vixen's smile widened. "Trust me, you'll get your answers – in time. You just gotta wait for the future to happen."

Jubilee flushed scarlet and glanced sideways at Wolverine, only to find him glancing at her. He looked away before she did.

"Th-thank you for coming back to help us," she told Vixen, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. Her fingers sunk into the blanket. She swayed as all the blood rushed from her head.

"Hey, easy there, darlin'!" Wolverine barked.

"I'll – I'll be all right," she mumbled, putting a hand to her head.

Vixen sat beside Jubilee. Side by side, it was easy to see the resemblance between them, and Jubilee was quick to notice Wolverine's eyes swing from one to the other.

"Don't thank me," Vixen said, slinging an arm around Jubilee's shoulders. "I didn't do much. I came back in time to stop Mamba killing you both, but I nearly failed. She bit you both."

"But we're not dead! And what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, right?"

Wolverine chuckled. "Oh Jubes, if only that were true."

"You _did_ stop Mamba killing us." Jubilee ignored his comment, focussing on Vixen. "You fought her _in the dark,_ and you defeated her! How totally awesome is that?"

Vixen gave her a tiny, bashful grin. "Well… that is _kinda_ awesome," she admitted.

"Darn straight." Wolverine's tone was implacable. "I can smell what deodorant you were wearing last year, and hear someone three stories up. But this gal… man, what I wouldn't give to have her talents."

"You _listened_ for her in the dark?" Jubilee exclaimed.

Vixen shrugged. "Listened, smelled, felt the air pressure change as she moved… it's a combination. Part of my training involved low-light combat. Mamba's got an unfair advantage in the dark – she sees like any snake. She sees body heat."

"Neat. If you're a creepy snake-lady." Jubilee's voice was dry.

"She won't be bothering you again."

"But what about this Shining Man…?"

"Un unh. Spoilers, OK?"

Vixen left half an hour later, with most of the team to see her off. She had a hand clenched around White Mamba's arm; the mutant wore both a suppressing collar and metal gloves that covered her whole hands. Vixen wasn't taking any chances with the wily woman. She pressed a button on her temporal transceiver. They vanished.

The long, long day wasn't at an end yet. The Professor called them all into the War Room for a breakdown of the day's events while it was still fresh in their minds. Jubilee was so tired she could barely concentrate, and only Rogue's frequent elbow in her ribs kept her awake. She recounted what she remembered as best she could but it was a struggle.

Eventually Professor Xavier dismissed them. Jubilee drifted off to her room and got ready for bed, but when she slid between the sheets she couldn't settle. She closed her eyes, but sleep just wouldn't come. Too many things were running through her mind, too many images.

But they all came back to one person.

Wolverine.

At some point in the dim and mystical future, she and Wolverine would create a child. A brave, strong, smart, funny child.

She'd been careful over the last couple of years. She'd thought her infatuation with Wolverine was just a childish crush. She'd felt sure that once she started dating, she'd forget how she felt just being in the crotchety man's company; she'd forget how he could make her laugh with a wisecrack, or impress her with a casual act of strength or savagery.

But that hadn't worked.

She hadn't been able to help comparing him against each boyfriend, and the boyfriends had always come second best.

The last year or two, she hadn't dated at all. She hadn't wanted to. She could admit to herself – if no one else – that she was in love with him, but she knew she would never find the courage to tell him. It would risk damaging the friendship they already had, spoil something good.

Besides, she always thought he would just laugh in her face if she told him how she felt – he was over a century old. She was twenty-two. He had several lifetimes' worth of experience with the opposite sex; she had a handful of years. What could she possibly have that would attract his interest? Nothing, that was what.

Jubilee finally gave up on sleep. It was late – the clock said it was gone 3am – and there'd be no more sleep tonight despite her exhaustion. She wanted a drink, maybe something to eat. She couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten.

The mansion was dark and silent as she tiptoed downstairs in her sleep-shorts and T-shirt. She flicked the kitchen light on and headed for the kettle. A few minutes later she was sat at the kitchen table, a mug of tea in her hands, a chicken salad sandwich on a plate in front of her. She stared through the tea's steam at the table's wooden surface.

"You coulda told me you were havin' a private party. I'm hurt I didn't get an invite."

Jubilee's head flew up and she almost dropped the mug. "Logan! Uh – um… what are you doing up at this time of night?" He was wearing navy blue shorts and nothing else. The bandages were gone, revealing a huge swathe of hairy, muscled chest.

"Same thing you are, darlin'. Not gettin' any sleep."

Alone in the kitchen with him, she felt suddenly shy. "Oh… um… OK. You want some tea?"

"Nah. This old dog wants a beer." He crossed to the fridge and pulled out a bottle. Where Jubilee had used leftover chicken to fix herself a sandwich, Wolverine just picked up the whole plate and brought it to the table. He opened the bottle with his teeth and spat out the cap.

"I wanted to catch you on your own." Wolverine's rough voice was low. "Wanted to talk t'ya. But we had that stupid debriefing session with the Professor." He shook his head.

"Wh-what did you want to talk about?" She bit her lip, trying to will some steel back into her spine. Or at least quit the stupid stammer.

"Today. Back in the War Room with that crazy snake lady." His piercing blue eyes fixed on hers, held them. Wouldn't let them go. "You stood up for me when I was down, Jubes. You musta been exhausted but you looked out for me. And you hit her with the biggest 4th o' July I ever seen."

"She was gonna bite you again. I couldn't let her do that. Friends stick up for each other, right?"

"You said you wouldn't let her hurt me… even if it killed you. That doesn't sound like somethin' just a _friend_ would do."

How could she reply to that? She didn't want Wolverine to know how she felt about him! She couldn't let him know!

On the other hand…

On the other hand, he must already know how she felt. He'd seen Vixen.

Did that – _could_ that – feeling run both ways?

"No." Her voice was quiet. "It's not something just a friend would do."

"Jubilee…" Wolverine shook his head, looking down at the table. "I'm all kindsa bad. You don't want t'get involved with a rabid beast like me."

"Rabid beast? No, Logan…" she reached out and touched the back of his hand. He twitched but didn't pull away. "You're fierce. You stand up for what you believe in, and you're loyal to your friends. I've known you for nearly ten years." She paused. "I know what I'm getting involved in. If you'll let me."

Wolverine's hand closed around her wrist. His fingers on her skin were warm, powerful, yet gentle. "Jubilee… it's a long time since I've been in the datin' game. And you're young…"

"I don't want to rush anything, Logan." Her smile was warm. In the face of his uncertainty she felt suddenly brave. "I'm not completely clueless… I mean, I know what I'm doing…" Where was that braveness now? Ah, the heck with it.

Jubilee leaned across the table and kissed him.

She felt him respond, his mouth parting under her questing tongue. The kiss was slow, gentle, and totally unlike anything she'd expected from the powerful man. Seconds later he deepened the kiss. The hand on her wrist slid down to tangle with her fingers, while his free hand came up to cup her face.

"When I came into the War Room and saw you squarin' up against Mamba, I lost it," Wolverine husked, resting his forehead against hers. "She was gonna hurt you. I couldn't let her do that. I just couldn't." He drew back and stared down into her eyes again. "You're precious t'me, Jubes."

"Then you know how I feel about you."

Wolverine gave her a crooked smile. "Does this count as a first date, darlin'?"

Jubilee grabbed his beer bottle and took a swig, gulping down several mouthfuls.

"It does now!"

THE END 


End file.
